Counter apparatus



W. E. HOSCH, DEC'D. I A. M- HOSCH, ADMINISTRATRIX- comma APPARATUS. v APPLICAHON FILED FEB- I3. 19.18, 1,343,723. Patented June 15, 1920.

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s J L WALTER E. HOSCH, OF ST. LOUIS,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE- MISSOURI; ANNIE IVIAE HOSCH, ADMINISTRATRIX, 0F

SAID WALTER. E. HOSCI-I, DECEASED, ASSIGN'OR TO THE MEASUREG-RAPH COM- PANY, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, CORPORATION. i

COUNTER; APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented June 15, 1920.

Application filed February 13, 1918. Serial No. 216,954.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WVALTER E. I-IosoH, a citizen of the United States, residing. in the city of St. Louis and State of Missouri, have invented new and useful Improvements in Counter Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to apparatus for facilitating the sale of piece goods such as cloth, ribbons, laces, etc., when sold over the counter. The general object of the invention is to provide apparatus which will enable the measuring machine to be held so as to cooperate with the counter in measuring the goods, but operating in such a way so as to permit the depression of the measuring ma chine into the counter, so that; when. the measuring machine is not in use, the upper surface of the counter is left unobstructed. Further objects of the invention will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the general com bination of. parts and simplicity of details described in thefollowing specification, all of which contribute to produce an efiicient counter apparatus.

In the drawing which fully illustrates the preferred embodimentof my invention,

Figure 1 is a plan of a counter embodying my invention; a

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1, upon a larger scale, certain parts being'broken away, and further illustrating .details of the construction; this view shows the measuring machine depressed in such a way. as to leave the upper surface of the counter unobstructed;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the line 3-;3 of Fig. 1, illustrating the machine in its elevated and active position, in which position it cooperates with the counter to support,

- and measure the goods; and

Fig.4 is. a horizontal section taken on line 4.&' of Fig. 2.

Referring more particularly to the parts, 1 represents a counter which may consist of a single fixed 'part, presenting a horizontal upper surface 2 upon which the bolt of cloth or other goods to be sold, may be supported.

The measuring machine illustrated is of a type which measures the length of the the ' means or cloth and also computes the charge to be made for any given length of goods to be sold. This machine is indicated by the numeral 3 and is substantially L shaped in plan. It is supported in an L shaped opening 4, formed through the counter. As the counter is a fixed part, it is evident that the edges of this opening are fixed, and the opening does not change in size. One of the extensions or legs 5 of the L extends at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the counter and is formed with a throat or gap 6 through which the edge of the goods passes when the good is pulled longitudinally along the, counter to measure it. In passing through the throat or gap 6, the goods rotates a roller 7, the face of which is shown in Fig. 3, and this roller communicates its movements to a pointer on an indi cating dial 8 on the upper side of the machine, which indicates the length of the goods measured, and it also communicates its motion to cost-indicating meansQ.

This measuring machine is of the type illustrated in my copending application, Serial No. 6954, matured into Patent No. 1,298,162, dated March 25, 1919. ,On the vertical side walls of the case'or'casing 10 of these measuring machines, controlling parts are provided for controlling the operation of the mechanism on the in terior of the case; in Fig. 3, for example, I have illustrated a thumb head 11 which connects in any suitable manner with the interior mechanism of the instrument. In order to, enable the machine to descend into the openings: of the counter, this thumb head 11 is placed in adepressionor recess 12 in the side wallof the case. I utilize a 7 Eli walls of this carriage are provided with vertically disposed guide tongues 18, re-' spectlvely, and each of these tongues runs freely in one of the guide slots 15. The inner face 19," of each the vertical members of the U frame is substantially flush with the corresponding edge 20 of the opening in the counter; When the machine is in its elevated position, the upper end of the carriage occupies the opening l, and the ends of'the tongues 18 lie near the under face of the counter. They would prevent the carriage from passing up through the counter, accidentally. In this elevated position of the measuring machine, the upper face 21 of the carriage which is flat, will be substantially flush with the upper 'face of the counter 1, andcoo'perates with the counte'r to form a continuous horizontal support. I provide means for counter-balancing the weight of the machine and its carriage. For this purpose, I provide a counterweight 22, supported by a cord23, the loop of which passes over a small pulley 24sttached to the under side of the counter, the other end of the cord being secured to a lug 25, projecting from the lower end of the carriage. V

I'provide means for holding the carriage and measuring machine fixed in an elevated position such as shown in Fig.- 3, or-in a depressed position such as that shown in Fig; 2. In this face of the measurin substantially flat is preferably substantially flush with the upper face of the counter. In order to accomplish this, I provide the under side of the carriage with a small springpressed latch 26, having a finger lever or tail 2?, for operating it. This latch'% is normally pressed by a leaf spring 28 in such a way that apin 29 formed on the end of the latch, can engage with either one of the openings 30 and 31, the former of which is at the lower part the latter of which is at a more elevated position. Evidently the. counter is. unobstructed in any way when the machine is in itsdepressed position. I 7

It is not necessary to fix the measuring machine 5 to the upper face of the carriage, but I prefer to provide at least two dowel pins 32 (see Fig. 2) which are screwed into .theunder side of the casing 10, and which are i'e'ceived in corresponding openings or sockets 83 in the upper face 21 of the car will be no obstruction on the upper ing, means for holding latter position, the upper.

g machine which isof the U frame, and" guide face with sockets therein, a cloth measurmg'machm'e resting removably on the upper riage. These dowel pins prevent the measuring machine from becoming dislocated from its position on the carriage.

By reason of the fact that the upper portion of the carriage conforms in outline to the shape of the opening in the counter, it is evident that when thecarriage is held in its elevated position, if the measuring machine be removed, the upper face of. the carriage will lie flush with the upper face of the counter, thereby filling the counter openfurthermore,'as the dowel pins 32 are the measuring machine, there face of the measuring machine carried by the counter after has been removed; 7 v

it is understood that theemhodiment of the invention described herein is only one of the many embodiments my .invention'may take, and I do not-wishto be limited in the practice of my invention nor in my claims, to the particular embodiment set forth. l Vhat I claim is .1. In apparatus of the class described, the combination of'a counter consisting of a single fixed part with an opening there througln and having a substantially horizontal upper surface for supporting goods, a guide secured to the underside vof the counter, a"carriage movably mounted in said guide, and having a substantially flat upper face, a' cloth measuring machine resting removablyon the upper faceof said carriage, said carriage and said measuring machine conforming in outline to said openthe ,.carriage with its upper face substantiallyfiush with the upper face of said counter measuring machine in anoperative position, and enabling the measuring machine to be removed so as to permit the upper' face of the carriage to cooperate with the upper face of. the counter to I unobstructed supporting surface for goods on the counter, said means also. operating to hold the carriage in a depressed position with the upper face of the measuring structed supportingsurface.

2. In apparatus of the class described,

the combination of -a-'counter..consisting of a single fixed part with jan opening therethrough, and having a substantially horizontal upper surface for supporting goods,

to hold said form a'. continuous 'machine substantially flush with the upper a guide secured to the underside. of the counter, a carriage movably mounted in said and having a substantlally fiat upper "said measuringmachine-conforming in outline to said opening, means for holding the carriage with its upper face substantially flush with the upper face of said counter to hold said measuring machine in an operative position, and enabling the measuring machine to be liftedofl of the carriage, thereby permitting the upper face of the carriage to cooperate with the upper face of the counter to form a continuous unobstructed supporting surface for goods on the counter, said means also operating to hold the carriage in a depressed position with the upper face of the measuring machine substantially flush with the upper face of the counter so that the upper face of the measuring machine will cooperate With the counter to form a continuous unobstructed supporting surface.

3. In apparatus of the class described the combination of a counter presenting a substantially horizontal surface for supporting goods, and having anopening therein, a cloth measuring machine having a casing with side walls, and fitting said opening, mounted to move through said opening into a depressed position below said. counter, said machine havinga controlling part for controlling the mechanism of said cloth-measuring machine, disposed in the side wall of said casing, said side wall having a depression receiving said controlling part, whereby the side wall of said casing is unobstructed to permit the free movement of said casing through said opening.

4. In apparatus of the class described, the combination of a counter presenting a substantially horizontal surface for sup porting goods and having an opening therein, a cloth measuring machine having, a

casing fitting said opening, and having a controlling part for the mechanism thereof set in the side wall of said casing so as to leave the side of said casing unobstructed,

means for supporting and guiding said machine through said opening, means for holding said machine fixed in an elevated position above said counter to permit the cloth to be measured, and means for holding said machine in a depressed position within said opening.

5. In apparatus of the class described, the combination of a counter having a substantially horizontal surface for supporting" goods, and havingean opening there through, a guide carried by the counter, a carriage movably mounted in the guide and having a substantially flat upper face, a cloth measuring machine resting upon the upper face of said carriage and having a casing with vertical side walls, said casing conforming to the outline of said opening, said measuring machine having a controlling part for controlling the mechanism of the measuring machine, the side wall adjacent said'controlling part having a depression receiving said controlling part, where-T by the side wall of the casing is unobstructed to permit the free movement of the casing through the opening, means for. supporting the carriage with its upper face flush with the upper face of the counter to hold the measuring machine in an operative position and so that the measuring machine may be lifted off of the carriage to enable the upper face of the carriage'to cooperate with the upper face of the counter to form a continuous unobstructed supporting surface, said means also operating to support the carriage in a depressed position with the upper face of the casing flush with the upper face of the counter so as to cooperate with the counter to form a continuous unobstructed supporting surface.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

.WALTER E. HOSCH. 

